While these activities are ongoing, the Company began to see results from its efforts reflected in its financial performance. Sales in 2004 increased 26.7 percent to $5,229.3 million, primarily due to growth across all market segments, and additional sales associated with acquisitions. Operating earnings for 2004 increased 81.0 percent to $400.7 million, primarily due to the same factors that drove the sales gain, as well as effective cost management efforts and global sourcing initiatives. These factors helped offset higher compensation costs, expenses associated with the acquisitions completed in 2004 and 2003, and increased research and development expenses. See the Results of Operations section below for further discussion.
Matters Affecting Comparability
Acquisitions. The Company’s operating results for 2004 include the operating results for acquisitions completed in 2004 and 2003. Approximately 40 percent of the sales increase in 2004, when compared with 2003, can be attributed to the following acquisitions:
Date
Name/Description
Segment
6/10/03
Valley-Dynamo, LP (Valley-Dynamo)
Bowling & Billiards
6/23/03
Land ‘N’ Sea Corporation (Land ‘N’ Sea)
Boat
Navman NZ Limited (Navman) – 70 percent
Marine Engine
9/02/03
Attwood Corporation (Attwood)
9/15/03
Protokon, LLC (Protokon) – 80 percent
Fitness
4/01/04
Lowe, Lund, Crestliner
Valley-Dynamo, a manufacturer of commercial and consumer billiards, Air Hockey and foosball tables, added new products and distribution channels to the Company’s billiards operations; Land ‘N’ Sea, a distributor of marine parts and accessories, and Attwood, a manufacturer of marine hardware and accessories, provided the Company with the distribution network, manufacturing capabilities and infrastructure to develop and expand a boat parts and accessories business; Navman, a manufacturer of marine electronics and global positioning system-based products, complemented the Company’s expansion into marine-based electronics and integration; Protokon, a Hungarian steel fabricator and electronic equipment manufacturer, allowed the Company to reduce costs and increase manufacturing capacity of fitness equipment, while better serving its fitness customers in Europe; and the Lowe, Lund, Crestliner boat brands, provided the Company with the opportunity to offer products in all major aluminum boat segments and to leverage engine synergies with the Company’s Mercury division. Refer toNote 5, Acquisitions, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, for a detailed description of these acquisitions.
The Company’s operating results for 2003 include the operating results for its acquisitions completed in 2003. Approximately 33 percent of the increase in 2003 sales, when compared with 2002, can be attributed to the acquisitions of Valley-Dynamo, Land ‘N’ Sea, Navman, Attwood and Protokon.
The Company’s operating results for 2002 include the operating results of: Teignbridge Propellers, Ltd. (Teignbridge), a manufacturer of custom and standard propellers and underwater stern gear for inboard-powered vessels; Monolith Corporation/Integrated Dealer Systems, Inc. (IDS), a developer of dealer management systems for dealers of marine products and recreational vehicles; and Northstar Technologies, Inc. (Northstar), a supplier of premium marine navigation electronics, from the acquisition dates of February 10, 2002, October 1, 2002, and December 16, 2002, respectively. The acquisition of IDS and Northstar complemented the Company’s expansion into systems integration and marine-based electronics.
Litigation charge and change in accounting principle. Comparisons of net earnings per diluted share between 2004, 2003 and 2002, are affected by a litigation charge and change in accounting principle, which are listed and described below. The effect of these items on diluted earnings per share is as follows:
__________
bpts = basis points
NM = Not Meaningful
2004 vs. 2003
bpts=basis points
NM=not meaningful
________
(A) Operating Earnings for the year ended 2003 included a $25.0 million pre-tax litigation charge discussed in Note 9, Commitments and Contingencies, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Matters Affecting Comparability above. Operating margin excluding the $25.0 million pre-tax litigation charge was 11.3 percent.